Giving Tuesday may be over, but one Dallas-backed effort is tapping into that spirit for scientific research.
On Wednesday, the Cancer Prevention Initiative announced it has received a $750,000 challenge grant from Dallas’ Lyda Hill Philanthropies. When matched by other donations, the funding could add up to $1.5 million.
The cancer initiative is a Dallas-based nonprofit that supports early-stage research into hereditary cancer, or cancer caused by inherited genetic mutations. Inherited risk accounts for an estimated 5% to 10% of all cancer diagnoses and has been identified in more than 50 types of cancer, according to the Yale School of Medicine.
The funding from Lyda Hill Philanthropies and others will aim to help scientists and clinicians develop vaccines, targeted drugs and precision detection tools for preventing hereditary and other types of cancers.
This year, more than 2 million new cancer cases and 618,120 cancer deaths are projected in the United States. A 2023 study found that despite national guidelines recommending genetic testing, less than 10% of eligible patients in Georgia and California had that testing within two years of their cancer diagnosis. Among those who had testing, 10% to 30% had an inherited mutation that could affect their medical care.
A 2025 study from Duke University School of Medicine further highlighted the role of inherited risk, finding that one in 12 patients diagnosed with two or more types of cancer were born with a genetic mutation known to confer cancer risk.
“Lyda Hill Philanthropies shares our belief that high-quality science can replace the fear around cancer with understanding and hope,” Dr. Theodora Ross, president of the Cancer Prevention Initiative, said in a news release. “Their visionary investment in CPI’s mission brings us closer to a future where cancer prevention leads to longer, healthier lives for many.”
Miriam Fauzia is a science reporting fellow at The Dallas Morning News. Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. The News makes all editorial decisions.